


And Still We Employ Them

by the_rck



Category: Dreaming of Sunshine - Silver Queen
Genre: Gen, Land of Waves Arc, Missing Scene, Silver Queen's Dreaming of Sunshine Universe, Teacher-Student Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:55:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26641018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_rck/pseuds/the_rck
Summary: Two teachers watch their students and wonder about failure.
Comments: 14
Kudos: 287
Collections: Dreaming of Sunshine Exchange 2020 B: Surprise Birthday Edition, Heliocentrism — a Dreaming of Sunshine recursive collection





	And Still We Employ Them

**Author's Note:**

  * For [drowsyivy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/drowsyivy/gifts).



Kakashi never expected to like Momochi Zabuza. Kakashi would normally have gone far out of his way to avoid talking to the man-- shit talking during combat didn't count, no matter what his genin claimed-- simply to limit the risk of sympathy.

Kakashi could kill and maim people he liked. He had. He would again. He just tried to avoid getting friendly with people he was likely to have to kill because he didn't need to add weight to his regrets.

Kakashi watched Shikako talk to Zabuza's apprentice and wondered about a great many things. He heard polite footfalls behind him and turned to find Zabuza approaching. Kakashi nodded an acknowledgment.

Zabuza sat on a rock about two meters away. "Your girl is frightening," he said.

Kakashi shrugged. He hadn't expected much from Shikako, and he was by now almost certain that she knew it, that she'd always known it. He considered his answer for a moment. "Your boy is too willing to die."

Zabuza's laugh sounded more like he'd been gut punched than it did like he thought Kakashi'd said something funny.

Which was good, Kakashi thought, because Haku's vulnerability shouldn't be funny. "Dying should buy something useful," he said. He wasn't looking directly at Zabuza, but he noticed the flinch. "So should killing."

"There wasn't anywhere safe to leave him," Zabuza said softly, "and now..."

Kakashi considered offering Konoha, but he thought that Root would take too powerful an interest in Haku.

Better the boy die for Zabuza and Mist than for Shimura Danzo.

"I'm not sure my kids can teach him ruthlessness." Kakashi put a twist of rueful humor into the words.

This time, Zabuza's laugh sounded real. He shook his head. "Not what he needs," Zabuza said after several seconds. "I thought it was, but I'm an idiot. My way won't work for him." He turned and stared at Kakashi until Kakashi reluctantly turned to look at him.

Zabuza nodded toward Haku and Shikako. "Your way won't work for your kids, either." Zabuza sounded like he had a pretty good idea what Kakashi's approach to life was.

Kakashi supposed that he'd revealed a lot about himself during that first fight. "I shouldn't be a teacher," he said.

"You going to let them make the same mistakes twice?" Zabuza didn't sound like he needed Kakashi to answer.

Kakashi bent, picked up a pebble, and tossed it out over the water. "Sometimes, it's not up to me," he said.

"If not you, who? That's why I've still got the brat."

Kakashi hadn't let himself wonder, before, what would have happened to his kids if he'd rejected them. Wondering was too close to taking responsibility.

"It's a shitty world," Kakashi said, "when we're the best options the kids have."

Shikako would have been fine. Probably. She had a clan to protect her and to give her options.

What the fuck had Kakashi been thinking when he even considered rejecting this team? Neither Naruto nor Sasuke had any sort of backup in case their first plans failed.

Something tickled at the back of his mind. He shouldn't teach. He'd always known that. He was dangerous. Everyone who got too close died. He--

Kakashi blinked. Something in all of that felt wrong. He must have been silent for too long because Zabuza said, "Hatake?" in a tone that sounded-- almost-- concerned.

"If not us, who?" Kakashi said. He didn't know the answer to that for either Sasuke or Naruto. He needed to. "Your kid needs to learn how to lie and cheat. He's not happy being a killer, but he could be an amazing grifter." Kakashi considered that. "Well, if you point him at the right targets."

"I'm shit at grifting," Zabuza said, but he sounded thoughtful.

"Yeah," Kakashi agreed. "Don't go into politics. The sword's not subtle."

This time, Zabuza's laughter was loud enough and long enough that all four kids stared at them.


End file.
